1.5 million people (3%of the population) in the UK have diabetes and most lead normal, active lives. So you are not alone. Diabetes will never go away, but although there is no cure available yet, with education, careful monitoring and treatment, you can lead a full, fit and satisfying life.
But this has to involve YOU. This means you have to become an active part of your care team. Your medical team can help you keep your diabetes under control with various combinations of treatments and suggested lifestyle changes, but your day-to-day management is down to you.
What is Diabetes?
It is a condition in which the level of glucose in the blood is higher than normal, because the body has a problem using and controlling glucose. If you have diabetes, it means that either your body is not able to make insulin at all, does not make enough insulin for your body’s needs, or does not use the insulin it make efficiently.
When glucose cannot get into the cells, it builds up in the blood and spills over into the urine. Too much glucose in the blood stream causes the symptoms of diabetes. Over time, high blood glucose levels can lead to diabetes complications such as infections, blindness, kidney disorders, stroke, heart disease, and foot and leg disorders.
There are two main types of diabetes.
Type 1 - Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM)
Type 2 - Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM)
Type 1diabetes usually develops in younger people, normally under the age of thirty and accounts for about 15% of all cases of diabetes in the UK.
| No one knows the exact cause of Type 1 diabetes, but doctors believe that these factors can be contributory: |
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A family history of Type 1 diabetes |
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Viruses that have damaged the pancreas |
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A problem with the body’s defence system that has destroyed the insulin making cells in the pancreas |
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| A person is at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes if they: |
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Are over the age of forty |
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Are overweight |
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Have a family history of diabetes. Your chance of developing Type 2 diabetes at some point in your life is about 20-30% if one of your parents has it. |
| Environment and diet can also be contributing factors. |
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Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, accounting for about 85% of cases. Its incidence is on the increase, with the numbers of people with Type 2 diabetes estimated to double by the year 2010 (BDA Forecasts in 1998). Type 2 diabetes is often wrongly thought of as a ‘mild’ form of diabetes. People with Type 2 diabetes are as much at risk of the complications of diabetes as those with Type 1. It is just as important for those with Type 2 as it is for those with Type 1 to monitor their blood glucose levels to avoid long term complications.
Oten the diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes is made when people present to the doctors for other reasons such as high blood pressure, heart attack, operation or infections. If symptoms are present, they are often similar to those of Type 1 with a much slower in onset:
| Symptoms of type1 diabetes |
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increased thirst |
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increased urination |
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fatigue |
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rapid breathing |
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weight loss |
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increased hunger |
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weakness |
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acetone smelling breath |
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| Symptoms of type 2 diabetes |
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increased thirst |
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increased hunger |
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increased urination |
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fatigue |
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irritability |
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blurred vision |
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numbness or tingling in the feet or hands |
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sores and infections that do not heal easily |
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